Macaroons

French macarons or macaroons are small almond meringues sandwiched together with a flavoured filling to make delightful bite-sized sweet treats. Made from egg whites, ground almonds, and caster and icing sugars, they are characterized by their smooth domed tops, frilly edged bases and wonderfully soft and slightly chewy centres. Popular in French patisseries, where a dazzling array of colours and flavours can be found, macaroons are the perfect after-dinner treat, sweet gift, teatime fancy or wedding favour.

As simple as they look, macaroons can be a little tricky to make - indeed pastry chefs can spend years perfecting the art of macaroons. But don't let that put you off because this book has everything you need to know for succesful macaroon making - from a guide to the essencial equipment and ingredients you will need, to clear and detailed step-by-step instructions for the basic method used to make all the macaroons in the book.

Once you've mastered the basic technique, you can try any one of the 30 deliciously different macaroons in this book. From classic flavours, such as vanilla, chocolate and pistachio, to more unusual combinations, such as sesame and lime or even peanut butter and jam, you'll be spoilt for choice.

So what are you waiting for? You may not quite achieve the high standards of a Frech pastry chef with your first few batches, but follow the top tips on the opposite and following pages and you'll soon find that the art of making macaroons is a pleasurable pastime with the most fabulous results!